Front Desk/Receptionist, Medical or Dental Office
Salary

Women make up the vast majority of Medical or Dental Office Receptionists in the United States. The average pay in this industry is approximately $11.99 per hour. Health benefits are not enjoyed by everyone in this line of work, and just over two-fifths lack any coverage at all. Medical benefits are reported by close to one-half and dental coverage is claimed by just under one in three. Job satisfaction is reported as high by the vast majority of workers. This snapshot results from replies to PayScale's salary survey.

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

Job Description for Front Desk/Receptionist, Medical or Dental Office

A front desk receptionist at a medical or dental office performs front desk-related tasks such as greeting customers, checking them in, and scheduling follow-up appointments. At the same time, the front desk receptionist also answers calls and emails from patients requesting information and appointments. They may have to operate a telephone switchboard to route calls to the appropriate department, as well as perform clerical duties such as completing correspondence, data entry, and organizing files. Additionally, the receptionist obtains information from patients such as billing information, identification, and consent and patient information forms. They may also call insurance companies to verify insurance information, often before patient arrival. The front desk receptionist also performs transactions related to payments and co-payments involving cash and credit cards.

Usually, this position requires a high school diploma or equivalent; relevant experience is usually required or preferred as well. Customer service skills are important, as the front desk receptionist has to greet patients and interact with them. Since there are multiple duties corresponding with this job, the ability to multitask is essential as well. Positions may be part time or full time, and the hours that a front desk receptionist at a medical or dental office must work depend on their employer's operating hours.

Front Desk/Receptionist, Medical or Dental Office Tasks

Answer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff.

Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports from physicians.

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Popular Skills for Front Desk/Receptionist, Medical or Dental Office

This chart shows the most popular skills for this job and what effect each skill has on pay.

Survey takers who work as Medical or Dental Office Receptionists report a focused set of job skills. Those who have experience with Insurance, Customer Service, and Scheduling can expect to be compensated well for these skills. Most people who know Customer Service also know Insurance.

Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.

Medical or Dental Office Receptionists with more experience do not necessarily bring home bigger paychecks. In fact, experience in this field tends to impact compensation minimally. At career start (within the first five years), average income sits near $24K, and the average for folks who have worked for five to 10 years is only slightly higher at $26K. Medical or Dental Office Receptionists with one to two decades of relevant experience report an average salary of approximately $28K. Veterans who have worked for more than two decades do tend to make the most in the end; the median pay for this group is $32K.

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